Has Your Cat Ever Given Your Vet a Funny Story?

A couple of weeks ago, we gave you seven stories that have made vets laugh over hapless (and sometimes clueless) cat moms and dads. One was of a person whose cat had been peeing at various places in the apartment for years. The vet asked what kind of litter was in the box at home, and the person replied, “Box?”

Catster readers offered multiple stories of their own in the comments that we’re sure have made other vets laugh so hard their sides ache.

Lou Sherwood wrote that his cat wouldn’t use a new litter box until “I went out to the garbage cans, dug through until I found the bag with the old litter in it, scooped out a clump or two, and threw it in the new box.

A reader known as Everybodyonly replied, “Only a cat lover would appreciate you digging through the trash to find used poop!”

Several readers shared stories about vets being the literal targets of their cats natural urges.

Alice The Sphynx wrote: “When Alice was about a year old we thought she had a bladder infection so I took her to the vet and they needed a sample, but … she was not going to pee. So I hand her to the vet to take her back and put a needle in to get the pee out, and she pees -- on the vet. And it was A LOT of pee. Yeah we got a sample, and no infection. Just a VERY angry cat. "

Jenn Novak wrote that her cat, Felix, had pancreatitis and “while he wouldn't poop or pee for me, our vet always managed to ‘manipulate’ him.” Felix recovered from the pancreatitis over time but still had some follow-up visits -- which turned out to be disastrous for the vet.

“He had apparently had enough of our vet visits -- and continued to poop and pee on our vet. So they took him back to do some blood work while I waited in the reception area. I got up to pay while he was still in the back room, and our vet came out. He said, ‘That's $78 for the blood -- and $500 for the fecal and urine samples he just gave me!’ After everything we had been through that month, I had a really good laugh over that one! ”

Lots of readers poked fun at themselves for misunderstanding things -- some of which we’d misunderstand too.

Carl Belken wrote, “ Years ago I found my outdoor cat foaming at the mouth.”

Okay. Sounds scary to us.

“I knew his rabies shots were current but was scared that maybe a new strain of virus had reared its ugly head. I was scared when I called my vet and told her what was going on. She just laughed and told me my cat had bitten a toad. I was very much relieved. … My neighbors' pets like biting toads too, and I have calmed down some anxious pet owners in the past. ”

A reader named Jade wrote: “ I work in a spay/neuter clinic that also does vaccinations, and we get a lot of people like this. Mostly dog owners. For instance I'll recommend that get the DHPPV in addition to rabies, they ask 'Whats DHPPV?' I tell them it's a distemper parvo combo vaccine. I've had people reply in all seriousness, 'He doesn't need that. His temperament is fine.' It's hard for me to argue with that level of stupidity."

Jade also confirmed that people who work in vets’ offices often laugh at clients’ expense.

“All the animals we deal with are pretty normal, but their owners are different story,” she wrote. “When there are no customers we compare notes on who got asked the dumbest question, was told the dumbest thing, or who dealt with the craziest or most annoying or most chatty -- or the rudest -- person on the phone or in the clinic.

“The patients (pets) make the job fun. The clients (owners) make it funny. ”

One funny client is a reader called LJ_68.

“I'm sure I'm one of these stories, somewhere,” LJ_68 writes. “When I had my very first cats, a vet asked me if they were 'littermates.' I said, 'Sure, they use the same litter boxes.' He explained that no, he meant were they from the same litter. I wanted to drop through the floor. "

Coreen Kerr outdid that one, though: “Don't feel so bad -- years ago when I took my first cat to the vet, he asked if she scratched a lot, and of course not thinking, I said, ‘Does she ever! You should see my couch!’ He just looked at me and asked again. I still didn't get it, so I gave the same reply! I didn't realize till I got home what he meant. … I was so embarrassed I changed vets!”

Too bad! The vet probably looked forward to another laugh from Coreen.

Cat names also generate laughs.

”I hope I have not given my vets good stories to tell,” writes TheBushFurs, “but they have laughed at some of our pets' names. I think Hashbrown was the biggest snicker of all (a calico).”

Some cats, meanwhile, have struck fear into veterinary staff members.

A reader called Judy wrote, “ I had brought my little tiger striped tabby -- Felicia -- to the vet, where she was diagnosed with a viral infection. She needed to spend a few days and nights there with an I.V. of antibiotics. When she got better, the vet called me to tell me Felicia was ready to go home.

“When I went to pick her up, all of the vet's staff were like, ‘Oh no! That's Felicia's mom.’ Then they said to me, ‘YOU better go back there and pick her up yourself!’ When I got to Felicia's cage … I saw a big sign that stated: ‘BITES!!’ I laughed out loud. That's my little tiger! Felicia was like a little creampuff in my arms as I carried her out, and all the vet's staff gasped in amazement. ”

What about you? Have you or your cat ever done something hysterical at the vet's office? Tell us in the comments!